Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph suffered a terrifying head injury during Sunday’s game against the Ravens.
While scrambling to get off a pass in the third quarter, Rudolph was hit up high by both Brandon Carr and Earl Thomas. He went down immediately and was motionless on the field — Rudolph was knocked out cold. As medical personnel were attending to Rudolph, it appeared that the Steelers quarterback was going to leave the field on a cart and stretcher.
But then, he was helped to his feet — with the facemask already removed from his helmet — and was carried off the field with assistance. Even if Rudolph was able to walk off the field, you almost always see the cart and stretcher being used as a precaution in the case of a serious head injury. That wasn’t what happened here.
There was a reason for that: The medical cart malfunctioned.
That’s just a major yikes all around, and it makes you wonder what the Steelers staff would have done if Rudolph was unable to get up to his feet.
There needs to be a backup cart or a typical stretcher to prevent this very situation. That kind of malfunction simply cannot happen without emergency options in place.
Update: The NFL said in a statement that a cart wasn’t needed.
“A cart was brought on the field in the event it was needed. After evaluating the player, medical staff determined a cart was not necessary in this instance. Had one been needed, there was a backup cart on the other sideline which was immediately available. He received appropriate medical care per gameday protocols, and is now in the concussion protocol.”
